National Museum of Digital Objects

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER YOU DIE?

For many years now, scientists have been researching about the possibility of life after death – or rather the afterlife – actually existing, but to no avail. The afterlife is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual’s identity or their stream of consciousness continues to live after the death of their physical body. While some people believe that this continued existence takes place in a spiritual realm, others believe that this world is a specific place designed by God for dead people. The death of the famous scientist-turned-monk Abdullah Mahmoud has led to the discovery of his diary which is being hailed as a milestone in the research on life after death. The following collection illustrates his findings.

THE COLLECTION

1. The Diary

Abdullah Mahmoud’s personal diary was discovered by the police while they were investigating whether his death was a suicide or a murder. It was collected as evidence at first but later on released on the judge’s order. What triggered this was the light emerging from the diary which was seen by one police officer. That’s when they found out that this was not an ordinary diary; it was a digital one. It contained various images and their descriptions in a foreign language, which nobody seems to understand. Scientists have tried to decode their meanings as explained below.

2. The Mysterious Game

The first ‘page’ of the diary contains an image of a game, a quite mysterious one indeed. It contains cards of two colours: black and golden. As per the description, this is the ‘Afterlife Game.’ According to Mahmoud, when you die, you are first required to play a game. If you win, you are able to skip the next step which is the ‘Afterlife Test’ and are taken directly to the ‘Good Place.’ If you lose, you have to take the test, the result of which will determine your next step.

3. The Afterlife Test

Mahmoud describes the ‘Afterlife Test’ as the ultimate one, the one which determines things without you even having to do anything, similar to medical tests, where you just sit still and the doctor, in this case, God does everything. This test reads your mind while placing you in different moral situations. Based on your thoughts, it determines whether you belong in the ‘Good Place’ or in the ‘Bad Place.’

4. The Good Monster

If you belong in the ‘Good Place,’ you are handed to the ‘Good Monster’ who reads through your ‘Earth File’ and makes a record of everything you like. As such, it makes sure that you are provided with the utmost comfort and are able to enjoy all your favourite things, even those which are imaginary.

5. The Bad Monster

If you belong in the ‘Bad Place,’ you are handed to the ‘Bad Monster’ who also reads through your ‘Earth File’ and makes a record of everything you dislike and hate. It makes sure that you are not provided with your favourite things but instead provides you with all the things you hate. You are then tortured daily.

6. The Lifetime Guarantee

When the dead person reaches either of the ‘Good Place’ or the ‘Bad Place,’ he/she is given a ‘Lifetime Guarantee.’ This means that for the remaining time of their afterlives, they are not allowed to switch from the ‘Good Place’ to the ‘Bad Place’ or vice versa, until the Day of Judgement. It is on the day of Judgement that God will decide each person’s ultimate resting place. What is fascinating about this digital object is that it lightens up when hovered above it.

7. The Medical Conspiracy

One of the most intriguing pages of Mahmoud’s diary is the one titled “The Medical Conspiracy.” It contains the pictures of a medicine, which the police have found is not manufactured by any company in the world. Mahmoud describes the medicine as a conspiracy by pharmaceutical companies, which is only used by a selective group of doctors worldwide, apparently to kill people and monitor what happens when they die. The police is has not uncovered this secret yet.

8. The Monk Bead

Last but not the least, the police have found that the diary is not activated unless it is placed above a bead necklace. The latter has raised more suspicion on the actual existence of Abdullah Mahmoud. The scientific community as well as the media are questioning whether he was a human being or not, or rather, whether he was a time traveller. Is his death neither a suicide nor a murder, but a well-executed plan?

DOES THE AFTERLIFE ACTUALLY EXIST THEN?

Scientists are still debating the authenticity of the content of Mahmoud’s diary whereas many religious people agree with his work. Many Muslims, in particular, are convinced that whatever he has written may indeed be the actual truth about the afterlife since Muslims also believe that there is an intermediary place – Barzakh – where souls go before the day of judgement. The Christians agree with the ‘Good Place’ and ‘Bad Place’ part. Nevertheless, science is yet to prove the existence of an afterlife.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

This collection is currently being exhibited at the National Museum of Digital Objects at 161 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria.

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